Naturally, her showing interest in a man in public would inevitably catch the attention of the Elder, who had always been eager for her to find a partner.
"Hello?" She answered lazily, her voice devoid of energy.
"Mubao, am I about to have a grandson-in-law? Is my grandson-in-law right beside you?"
Elder Xiu's voice came through the phone, carrying a hint of excitement.
Xiu Mumo: "..."
Wait a minute, she hadn't even tied him to a bed yet, so how on earth was he already a grandson-in-law?
Was he just getting ahead of himself?
She immediately put on her headphones. "What on earth are you talking about? What is going through your mind?"
Elder Xiu sounded aggrieved. "I'm thinking about my grandson-in-law."
Page 22: Miss Xiu, that's going a bit too far.
Xiu Mumo was speechless. "..."
Things hadn't even gotten off the ground yet, and he was already calling him a grandson-in-law?
Good thing she put on her headphones, otherwise it would have been so awkward.
"Don't try to deny it. This is the first time I've ever seen you take this much interest in a man. If worst comes to worst, I can just have someone kidnap him and throw him right into your bed. How does that sound?"
Elder Xiu smacked his lips, as if he could already see his grandson-in-law standing right in front of him.
"Stop!" Xiu Mumo felt her scalp go numb. Why was the Elder's very first instinct also kidnapping people?
Was this just how perverted their family was?
"Anyway, I don't care. I'll give you three months to win him over!" Elder Xiu offered words of encouragement and promptly hung up the phone.
Leaving Xiu Mumo staring blankly at the beeping headphones, utterly losing her mind.
Had she pushed things too far?
She wasn't entirely sure.
Quan Xijuan kept his eyes fixed straight ahead, not really listening in, his mind entirely occupied with what to say during dinner.
The private restaurant was not far away, and they arrived shortly.
Bie Yuan got out of the car first, bustling about to secure a private dining room so they could converse comfortably.
Once the two of them entered the private room, Bie Yuan thoughtfully closed the door behind them and went to grab a casual bite in the main hall with the driver.
After sitting down, Xiu Mumo handed the menu across the table. "Take a look at what you'd like. My treat."
"I'm not picky. Since you're treating, you order."
Quan Xijuan sat opposite her, his previous stiffness completely gone, replaced only by detachment and an unfathomable calm.
"Alright, any dietary restrictions?" Xiu Mumo raised an eyebrow.
If she hadn't witnessed it with her own eyes, she would have thought these were two entirely different people.
"Lemon allergy." Quan Xijuan spat out four words, concise and to the point.
He looked just as aloof and distant as he had back at the annual gala.
"Got it." Xiu Mumo casually selected a few dishes, added a special note requesting zero lemon in anything, and tapped to place the order.
Throughout this process, Quan Xijuan's cool, dark eyes remained locked on her face, as if he were studying her.
"Have you seen enough?"
Suddenly, out of nowhere, her voice broke the silence. Xiu Mumo looked across at him with a half-smile. "Quan Shao, are you starting to take an interest in me?"
Of course, she knew full well that he was merely trying to figure out her identity.
"No." Quan Xijuan looked straight into her eyes, showing no reaction whatsoever, before asking sharply, "What are you actually trying to do?"
He couldn't shake the feeling that Xiu Mumo's appearance felt less like a genuine return of a lost family member and more like a sudden, opportunistic play.
A girl who had genuinely been found and brought back home wouldn't react this way—unless she had known her true identity all along and deliberately leaked the news.
"Sigh!"
Xiu Mumo let out a sigh, stood up, walked around the table, and rested her hand on the back of his chair, while her other hand pressed down firmly on Quan Xijuan's shoulder.
At that exact moment, she heard Quan Xijuan's breathing turn slightly shallow.
A spark of amusement danced at the corners of her eyes and brows. Leaning down close to his profile, her red lips brushing against a stray lock of hair right next to his ear, she spoke in a voice that was both cool and seductive.
"What if... I've taken an interest in you, and I want to make you mine?"
She licked her lips, her warm breath practically scorching the skin of Quan Xijuan's neck.
As soon as the words left her mouth, a jolt resembling an electric current raced down Quan Xijuan's spine, leaving him slightly numb. A wave of intense heat immediately surged up his neck, setting his ears ablaze.
His breathing lost its rhythm.
His prominent Adam's apple bobbed up and down repeatedly, and both his forehead and back grew scorching hot.
For the very first time, someone had dared to say something so audaciously bold right to his face.
Make him.
Hers.
A faint flush crept up his cheeks, his earlobes burned red, and his voice turned raspy: "Miss Xiu, that's going a bit too far."
Page 23: Truly a Feast for the Eyes
Xiu Mumo almost laughed out loud.
He was far too innocent! Such a daring line had only earned him a mild "that's going a bit too far"?
It seemed she could afford to push things even further.
"Is that really too far?" Excitement flickered in the depths of her eyes, making them shine even brighter under the lights.
Unfortunately, Quan Xijuan couldn't see a bit of it.
He found that he couldn't even control his own breathing; every exhalation emerged as a wave of scalding heat.
Quite a few women had tried to get close to him in the past, but this was an absolute first. Previously, such encounters only elicited disgust and irritation, making him wish the women would stay as far away as possible. As for anyone trying to flirt with him, it always felt either fake or utterly nauseating.
If he hadn't been entirely certain of his sexual orientation, he would have suspected he secretly harbored a physiological preference for men.
But he was not gay.
While his thoughts tumbled in chaos, Xiu Mumo's light laughter reached his ear once again. "Quan Shao, tell me... do you think there are any surveillance cameras in this private room?"
"Huh?" Quan Xijuan froze.
"I'm guessing there aren't. Do you believe me?"
Xiu Mumo's gaze drifted slightly downward. The tie at his collar had been loosened by half, revealing a smooth, strong expanse of chest underneath.
The natural line of his neck and Adam's apple possessed an inherent superiority; the way it protruded and bobbed pushed his raw masculine tension to the absolute limit.
"What?" Quan Xijuan asked instinctively.
The very next second, the damp, soft sensation pressed directly against his Adam's apple wiped his mind completely blank.
Xiu Mumo's fingertips playfully brushed through his slightly stiff dark hair, her red lips pressing close to his cheek before closing over his Adam's apple.
He was forced to tilt his head back.
A wave of searing breath and electric tingles surged through his entire body. Sweat beaded on his forehead, and his hand instinctively lashed out in defense.
"Bang—!"
Xiu Mumo's reflexes were astonishingly fast. The hand pressing on his shoulder shot upward and intercepted his wrist with a sharp impact.
Surprise flashed in the depths of her eyes. Such a violent reaction—had he been through martial arts training?
Or perhaps, had he a military background?
Because the throat was the most vulnerable part of the human body, people who spent their lives navigating bloodshed and danger developed an acute sensitivity there, never giving anyone the chance to get close.
The moment contact was made, a defensive reflex would trigger automatically—a purely instinctive reaction.
She was certain that Quan Xijuan's reaction was pure instinct. Given the Quan family's standing and Elder Quan's status, it made complete sense for him to have served in the military.
That made things even better as far as she was concerned.
She certainly didn't care for weaklings.
Provoking him too far at once might be counterproductive, so Xiu Mumo swiftly released his arm, leaned back, and settled into the seat right beside him.
Quan Xijuan took a light, ragged breath. The upper half of his spine was already damp with sweat; besides the wet sheen on his Adam's apple, his skin was flushed red along the side of his neck.
"Truly a feast for the eyes!"
Xiu Mumo murmured those words silently, turning her head to admire the man she had just teased.
This was the first time she had ever taken the initiative to flirt with a man.
His hair felt quite nice to the touch. Letting her gaze drop a fraction lower, amusement danced in her eyes.
His physique looked exceptional as well. Having served in the military, he undoubtedly had a washboard stomach. He fit every single item on her checklist for an ideal partner.
Quan Xijuan finally regained his composure. The corners of his eyes retained a faint flush, and his deep, dark pupils carried lingering traces of raw desire. When he looked at Xiu Mumo, his gaze was pitch-black and terrifyingly bottomless.
"Why are you looking at me like that?"
Acting as though she had done nothing at all, Xiu Mumo calmly poured a cup of hot water and took a small sip.
That response nearly drove Quan Xijuan mad with exasperation. He stared intently at Xiu Mumo, narrowing his eyes. "What do you think?"
"Are you looking to get even?" Xiu Mumo teased playfully. "Do you want a kiss? Or... something else?"
She tilted her head, resting her cheek against the back of her hand, her expression fraught with hidden meaning.
"If Quan Shao wants a kiss, I'm more than willing to provide."
Page 24: After All, We Can't Let Quan Shao Take a Loss, Can We?
"After all... we can't let Quan Shao take a loss, can we?"
If his Adam's apple was that sensitive and so wonderful to kiss, wouldn't his lips be even better?
Quan Xijuan completely short-circuited. His face stiffened instantly. "N-no, thank you."
His gaze lingered on Xiu Mumo's lips for a single second before darting away as if he had been scalded.
"Are you really sure?" Regret flickered in the depths of Xiu Mumo's eyes.
As great as this man was, he was just a little too innocent.
"Really, no need." Quan Xijuan felt that if this conversation continued any longer, it would never end.
What was even harder to fathom was the fact that he didn't feel a shred of actual anger.
Frowning unconsciously, he forced himself to calm down.
The dishes were served shortly afterward, making for a lavish spread.
Absolute silence descended upon the table as each ate their own meal, making them look like two strangers who had crossed paths by chance.
Xiu Mumo intended to stay here for a long time; since this was only their first meeting, she couldn't rush things.
With a man this innocent, she had to take things step-by-step.
She could tell that Quan Xijuan wasn't completely immune to her—he just needed a bit of training.
Throughout the entire meal, neither of them spoke another word.
"I'm done eating." Quan Xijuan set down his chopsticks and looked at the woman sitting beside him.
"I'm about finished too." Xiu Mumo took another sip of water, finally feeling thoroughly refreshed.
"Let's go then." Quan Xijuan stood up. "Thank you for the dinner."
"Until next time." Xiu Mumo rose to her feet, a smile gracing her eyes.
The two of them walked out together.
Downstairs, Bie Yuan had finished eating long ago and was waiting for them.
Upon seeing them appear, he cast an involuntary, up-and-down glance at Quan Xijuan.
Huh?
He looked completely unchanged?
Could it be that the Boss didn't do a thing?
That didn't seem very likely, though.
It didn't fit the Boss's style at all.
Oh well, who knew—maybe the Boss had already secretly worked her magic on him behind closed doors?
"Let's head to the hotel first, then drop Quan Shao off at home."
Xiu Mumo looked toward the driver.
"Understood." The driver nodded.
Upon reaching the hotel, Xiu Mumo and Bie Yuan got out of the car and headed up to their rooms.
She had booked a business suite, where her room and Bie Yuan's were right next to each other.
Bie Yuan followed closely behind the Boss into her room and settled onto the sofa. "Boss, what are your thoughts on this?"
Even setting aside the old Marshal's orders, this was a man the Boss genuinely took an interest in.
"Let's run a background check first. At the very least, he needs to be clean. After all, some people put on a facade of innocence, but that doesn't mean he's never been with a woman. You know my germaphobia."
Xiu Mumo left the thought unfinished, but that was precisely the issue—knowing oneself and knowing the enemy was the only way to secure victory in every battle.
"Got it, I'll run the investigation right now."
Bie Yuan's eyes lit up. Did this mean that as long as the man turned out to be clean, they could start preparing to kidnap him?
"Oh, right. By now, they're probably all tracking my whereabouts. You can leak some information appropriately, but don't overdo it. Under heavy rewards, brave men will come forward—that Ming Luoxing from the Ming Family probably wants to deal with me too."
Xiu Mumo leaned back against the sofa and let out an amused click of her tongue.
After causing such a scene at the annual gala, she had practically turned herself into a walking target. It was getting genuinely interesting.
After all, with Quan Xijuan being the crown prince of the Beijing circle, the number of women trying to throw themselves at him was like crucian carp crossing a river—endless.
"In their dreams! As long as this man is clean, he belongs to the Boss, no one else."
Bie Yuan let out a cold huff. "Boss, I'm heading out to investigate right now. I'll get you results as soon as possible."
"Mhm."
*
With Xiu Mumo gone from the car, Quan Xijuan's tense muscles instinctively relaxed. He leaned back against the headrest and closed his eyes to rest.
Amidst the dim lighting, the scene from the private dining room flashed back into his mind—
Page 25: Investigate Xiu Mumo
The dampness on his Adam's apple, his burning spine, those soft, warm lips—everything conspired to throw his breathing and his thoughts into utter disarray.
What on earth was he thinking?
Realizing the direction of his thoughts, his expression darkened slightly. This was the absolute first time a woman had ever stirred his physical senses like this.
What on earth made this Xiu Mumo so special?
He turned his head to look out the window at the endless sea of bustling traffic and a million twinkling lights. This was the world he had sworn to protect.
Romance wasn't really high up on his list of priorities.
When the car reached the villa district, Quan Xijuan stepped out, offered a word of thanks, and walked inside on foot.
He usually lived alone, but things had been different lately. Taking today's gala into account, he decided it was best to head home for the night.
The moment he stepped through the front door, the living room lights were still on. He checked the time—it was only a little past nine.
His entire family sat neatly arranged on the sofa, looking as though they were waiting specifically for him.
"You guys didn't go to your rooms? You're staying up down here just to wait for me?"
Quan Xijuan's eyelid twitched. Surely they couldn't already know about what happened at the gala, could they?
"Why wouldn't we?" Quan Mama glared at her son. "The Xue family's annual gala, and you managed to turn yourself right into the main attraction."
Quan Xijuan: "?"
Was this really his mother?
When he was lying in the hospital bed, she had fussed over him endlessly and wouldn't let anyone say a harsh word against him, yet here she was, the very first to tease him.
A biological mother, through and through.
"I hear the Xue family's newly recovered eldest daughter declared that she wants to arrange a marriage with you, that she fancies you?"
Elder Quan asked eagerly, leaning forward with hopeful eyes.
Such a bold young girl might actually be just the right match for his grandson!
After all, you never really knew, did you?
"Big brother, am I about to get a sister-in-law?"
The young girl sitting beside Quan Mama sparkled with excitement. "Just so you know, I refuse to accept that Beijing circle princess as my sister-in-law!"
"If you like her, go after her! What's with letting a young girl publicly declare her intentions like that?"
Quan Baba shot him a cold glare and scoffed. "If you've got your eye on someone, don't just sit around waiting, or someone else is going to swoop in and steal her. The Xue family isn't worth a damn.
Still, since this girl wasn't raised by the Xues and refuses to have anything to do with them, she's clearly smart.
If you genuinely like her, go chase after her. With the Quan family backing you up, no one will dare pull any shady tricks on her.
If I hadn't made my move fast enough back then, your mother probably would have ended up as someone else's wife—so waiting around gets you nowhere."
He had watched a video someone recorded of the event. The girl seemed exceptional; at a single glance, she clearly had a straight moral compass and wasn't some scheming troublemaker.
"Where on earth are you all getting these ideas?" Quan Xijuan felt like he was losing his mind.
No, wait—was he losing his mind, or had everyone else lost theirs?
After half an hour of frantic explanations, he finally managed to escape to his room. If he had known this was going to be a three-family tribunal, he never would have come home to sleep tonight. It was absolute torture.
Once inside his bedroom, he locked the door behind him.
Standing by the window, he pulled out his phone and made a call.
"Beep, beep, beep—"
It rang three times before a voice answered from the other end.
"Commander, state your orders."
A dark glint flickered in Quan Xijuan's eyes as he spoke in a low voice. "Sha Jing, look into the Xue family's eldest daughter. I want to know where she's lived all these years, along with her detailed background."
"Understood, I'm on it." Sha Jing replied, then hung up the phone.
Staring out at the city lights—which felt entirely different from how they had from the car—he pushed open the balcony door, stood before the railing to let the night breeze wash over him, and murmured a single name aloud: "Xiu Mumo."
*
Midway through the evening, Ming Luoxing returned home. The moment she stepped through the door, she saw a boy sitting on the sofa playing a video game.
Page 26: Wishing You the Fulfillment of Your Desires
"Sis, you're back? How did it go? What kind of person is this eldest daughter the Xue family just found?"
The boy glanced sideways at her, a mischievous smile in his eyes.
He was around eleven or twelve years old. He stealthily shut down his phone and slipped it out of sight beside him.
"No idea."
Ming Luoxing cast a cold glare at him. "Ming Yang_an, school just started—have you finished your homework? Is playing games all you do?"
Her voice spiked sharply.
Ming Yang'an's expression shifted. Clutching his phone, he bolted up the stairs, yelling as he ran, "Why are you yelling at me? I didn't provoke you! Can you really blame me just because you can't land your man?"
"Ming Yang'an!" Ming Luoxing bellowed at the top of her lungs, furious enough to combust.
"Can't hear you, can't hear you, bleh!" Ming Yang'an stood at the top of the stairs, pulling a face at Ming Luoxing.
Feeling as though her chest was about to catch fire, Ming Luoxing took a deep breath, forcing down the rage blazing in her heart.
She ignored Ming Yang_an and instead dialed a number on her phone.
"Eldest Miss." A respectful voice answered from the other end.
"Go investigate that newly found eldest daughter of the Xue family, Xiu Mumo. I want all her information."
Coldness flickered in Ming Luoxing's eyes. She wanted to see just what kind of person dared to steal a man from her.
She had worked hard for so many years just to marry Quan Xijuan; she would never allow anyone else to snatch away the position she wanted!
What was Xiu Mumo anyway? Even with the title of the Xue family's eldest daughter hanging over her head, she couldn't hold a candle to the Ming Family.
"Understood." The voice on the other end paused slightly. "Do you have any other requirements?"
"Not for now. But if anyone tries to make contact with Xiu Mumo, create opportunities for them."
Ming Luoxing narrowed her eyes. People trying to latch onto the Xue family were bound to be a dime a dozen.
"Understood. Is she standing in your way?"
"She's not even worthy." A terrifying smile bloomed across Ming Luoxing's face. "That's all for now. The moment you dig up any information, send it straight to me."
"Yes!"
Just as she ended the call, footsteps echoed from the entryway.
Wiping the expression from her eyes, she replaced it with an elegant smile, turned toward the incoming figure, and beamed: "Mom, you're back."
"Mhm." The woman looked impeccably maintained; her brow furrowed slightly as her gaze swept over her daughter. "Where's Yang_an?"
"He went upstairs." Ming Luoxing's breath hitched, her fingers clenching into tight fists.
"Right. So, when do you plan to actually win over Quan Xijuan?"
Madame Ming changed her shoes, walked over to the sofa, and sat down. "Don't forget the deadline you promised me. You care about your pride and refuse to admit you like Quan Xijuan, but there isn't a single person in the entire circle who doesn't know you fancy him."
With that, she let out a light scoff.
"He's been back for months, yet I haven't seen you make any real progress. If you want to switch targets, tell me in advance so your father can find someone new for you.
Your father, the Elder, and I were never thrilled about that Quan family match to begin with. Even if you manage to marry into it, you won't gain any real advantages."
"No, I only want Quan Xijuan." Ming Luoxing retorted flatly. "He is going to be my man, and no one else's."
Absolute determination burned in her eyes.
"Fine. I won't interfere with this, as long as you remember your own words. Your father and I spent all these years raising you so you wouldn't just marry some random nobody."
Madame Ming seemed rather fond of Ming Luoxing's ambition.
"Don't worry, I know what I'm doing. I genuinely like this man, and I won't fail. He treats me differently."
Madame Ming merely smiled at that. "Wishing you the fulfillment of your desires."
Page 27: The Yuan and Chen Families
Hours later—
The Xue family old residence.